Click to enlarge photos.
How would you like to hurtle yourself down a 1200-1600 meter ice-covered incline with 15-20 turns at 160 km per hour in nothing more than a glorified garbage can?
That's exactly what bobsledders do in either two or four-man teams. Women didn't begin bobsledding until 2002 at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. They only compete in the two-person bobsledding event.
The bobsled was developed in the late 19th century when a toboggan was outfitted with runners and a steering mechanism at St. Moritz in Switzerland. The first sleds were made of wood but were soon replaced by faster steel sleds. The sport took its name from the bobbing heads of the competitors as they tried to gain speed...Walls of ice, about 18 inches high, keep the sleds from flying off the runs as the sleds approach speeds of 90 miles an hour. Runs take less than a minute and the crew feels five times the force of gravity when braking. from: http://2010games.nytimes.com/events/bobsled/index.html
This past Saturday, Canadians Lyndon Rush and Lascelles Brown won a (shared with Germany) gold medal in the World Cup in St. Moritz, even though Rush was suffering from the flu. The four-man team and the women's team didn't fare well, though. Read all about it here!
The Canadian Olympic Bobsled Team will be announced Jan. 27 at Olympic Heights School in Calgary. If you're interested in watching the bobsledding on TV during the Olympics, here's a bit of the schedule:
Two-Man Heat 4 -February 21, 5:45 PM ET
Women's Heat 4 - February 24, 9:00 PM ET
Four-Man Heat 4 - February 27, 5:15 PM ET
Women's Heat 4 - February 24, 9:00 PM ET
Four-Man Heat 4 - February 27, 5:15 PM ET
Personally, I think it'd be quite a "rush" to hurtle down a mountain at 160 km per hour!
Here I am up in Whistler a couple of years ago sitting in an official Olympic four-man bobsled. How they squeeze four men in there is beyond me!
To see more contributions to Round 6 of ABC Wednesday, just click here.
28 comments:
What an interesting post, Leslie! Great captures, too! Hope your week is going well!
Sylvia
Bobsledding could be fun...if only I didn't suffer from motion sickness! :D
Leslie, It will be fun to watch the Olympics and bobsledding is always so exciting!
You look great in that sled!
I'm happy just to watch those people doing their "thing" bec I don't see myself doing it now or in the future. :)
I would LOVE to have the courage to go bobsledding- i look at them in complete awe!
I do love these alphabet posts.
It sounds like great fun. I don't know if I would be brave enough to do it though!
Nope, not doing THAT. But I'll watch.
Thanks for the info. Good to know the NYT has Olympics stuff already online.
On behalf of the ABC Wednesday team, thank you! - Ramblin' with Roger
I don't know how they squeeze 4 into that thing either. I'm really looking forward to the Olympics and all the hoopla that goes with it.
A very informative post! I love watching bobsledding and luge but it terrifies me!
Can't wait for the Olympics. I believe!! We finally got our Olympic mittens last week! Yeah!!!
Have a great week!
The Olympic Torch has just passed through our part of the country, generating lots of excitement. I think the bobsledding is too exciting for me, but wonderful to watch. I'm sure it must require nerves of stell!
Good post, Leslie! Bobsledding must be a very interesting sport and dangerous. We have no mountains and consequently no skiing or sledding. Skating is a real Dutch sport and swimming in summer.
I think I would have been on the outside with the camera - I'm not Brave...
well that is something i would never want to do - I do find it more interesting to watch than skiing though (only on TV)
I wanna try! Great post and shots for B:-)
Have a nice day!
Very exciting sport but not one I'd like to try! Most informative post and lovely photos to accompany it.
Maybe in my younger days, eh? 'Course, they are all nuts, have to be. Thanks for making me appreceiate my sofa! (smile)
I used to watch the Winter Olympic games on tv when a child, and bobslides is one of the most excting sports! You look ready to go! :o)
Kisses from Nydia.
How they jump in those at speed is incredible. They are running the tv olympic trails here so excitement is building. Hope the snow is increasing in time for the opening week.
LESLIE, I COULDNT BE PAID ENOUGH TO HURTLE DOWN THE TRACK AT THAT SPEED! NOOOO WAAAAY! i AM SUCH A CHICKEN.
GOOD POST THOUGH.
Always looks like fun but couldn't do it myself! Good B post.
What fun (for them - me? not so much)! Thanks for the information and the wonderful photos!
Now THAT looks fun. I always wanted to try bobsledding. No such luck living in Los Angeles. Great post!
If I was younger, I'd love to try. Now I'm too scared.
That is so cool Leslie....you look good in that bobsled...who knows...if they have a masters olympics you might be able to make the team!!!
You look very cosy in there! Just the thought of doing that scares me! Thanks for the flower delivery, btw. It cheered me up.
How indeed? I don't think I'm made for high speed sports!
It would be so much fun....that is if I didn't kill myself.
I hope your daughter is better!
I rode down a luge track a few weeks ago. It was great.
It's been ages. I'm glad to see you're still active in the blogosphere. I lost touch with all of my bookmarked favorites when my laptop crashed. It has now been restored and your address was still on it.
As of Friday, I am a grandpa. This is my way of handing out cigars! See pictures of Nora Paige at:
http://patternsofink.blogspot.com/
Post a Comment